Exposition of Ezekiel 30-48, Commentary on Ezechiel · Chapter 33 · Verses 10-11
Verſes 10, 11.
Therefore, O thou Son of man, ſpeak unto the houſe of Iſrael, Thus ye ſpeak, ſaying, if our tranſgreſſions and our ſins be upon us, and we pine away in them, how ſhould we then live?
Say unto them, As I live, ſaith the Lord God, I have no pleaſure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil wayes; for why will ye dye, O houſe of Iſrael?
HEre begins the ſecond Generall part of the Chapter, which is a confirmation of the Prophet againſt thoſe Calumnies the Jews made againſt the truth and juſtice of God.
The firſt is in the 10. verſ.
The ſecond in the 17. and 20. verſes.
The Calumnie they raiſed againſt the truth of God was this; in the 5. verſe its ſaid, he that takes warning when the watchman gives it, ſhall deliver his ſoul; this ſaid the Jews, had not truth in it; for Chap. 24.23. The Prophet had told them they ſhould pine away for their iniquities, therefore there was no hope for them, though they took warning at the watchmans mouth; we are appointed to deſtruction, and its in vain to mind what the watchman ſaith. This is anſwered in the 11. verſe. But to open the words.
Verſ. 10. Therefore, O thou ſon of man, ſpeak unto the houſe of Iſrael.
God had ſet Ezekiel to be a watchman unto the houſe of Iſrael, to obſerve their ſins and tell them thereof; and here he commands him to do his duty, ſpeak unto the houſe of Iſrael, thus; The houſe of Iſrael was not now the 10 Tribes, but the 2 Tribes left of the 10.
If our tranſgreſſions and our ſins be upon us.
Jeruſalem being now taken, or upon the taking, the Jews were more ſenſible of their ſins, and ſo felt the weight of them in that ſad judgement was upon them, or coming upon them. By tranſgreſſions and ſins, not only the guilt, but the puniſhment of them is meant; they had felt much in the time of Jeruſalems ſiedge, and more now in the taking of it: God viſited their iniquities upon their heads.
And we pine away in them.
When Gods hand is upon perſons for their ſins, they conſume and moulder away; the pain and anguiſh they are under melts their fat, eats up their ſtrength, and brings them to skin and bone. Nemakkim it is from Muk, or Makak, which is to grow lean, to become feeble, to be diſſolved in Mareorem, into corruption or rottenneſs.
How ſhould we then live?
The Jews ſeeing Jeruſalem now in the enemies hand, and themſelves going into captivity, ſpeak deſparingly; ſaying, We are like never to ſee good day, but muſt pine away under the judgements that are upon us; how ſhould we then live? its in vain to warn us, and tell us of repenting and turning to the Lord, we muſt dye in the condition we are in.
Verſ. 11. Say unto them, As I live ſaith the Lord God.
This oath of God hath been ſpoken of, Chap. 16.48. & Ch: 5. verſ. 11. Its the oath which God moſt uſes. Life is the moſt precious of all things, and that God ſwares by; as ſure as I live, or am the living God, it is true which I ſay; or, let me not be the living God, if I ſpeak falſe: you think I am a hard Maſter, that you ſhall pine away in your ſins, and find no mercy, though you ſhould repent and return; you are greatly deceived: As I live, ſaith the Lord, &c. He ſwares not by a truth that was queſtion, Numb. 14.11. Nor by his Omnipotency, for that was doubted of, Pſ. 78.19. but by his life which was never in queſtioned. The Learned obſerve, that when this word Chai is referred to God, ſo that himſelfe ſwares, or men ſware by him, its written with Patach under it, as here and in other places; but when it is referred to men, then its written Chai with Tzere, as Gen: 42.15. foreign By the life of Pharaoh, or as ſure as Pharaoh lives; So in 2 Sam. 11.11. You have them both together; in 1 Sam. 20.3. Chai Jehovah vechei, Naph ſhecha, As the Lord liveth, and as thy ſoul liveth.
I have no pleaſure in the death of the wicked, but that &c.
The Septuagint reads the words, foreign, I will not; The Vulgar is Nolo mortem impit, I am unwilling the wicked ſhould dye; the French ie u'appette point; I covet not, am not greedy of the death of the wicked; Junius, Si delector, If I delight in the death of the wicked; Vatablus, Piſcator, Non delector, I delight not in the death of the wicked; or I am not delighted therewith. Montanus hath it, Si volam in morte impii, If I ſhall will in the death of the wicked, for ſo runs the Hebrew, Im Echphotz bemoth Haraſhang. The word Chaphetz ſignifies to deſire, love, delight in a thing, as Gen: 34.19. Shechem delighted in Dinah; he deſired her, loved her, and took delight in her. Chophetz notes the higheſt delight & content that can be taken, Pſal. 16.3. in whom is Col Cheph-Zi, all my delight, that is, my greateſt delight. Now here its ſaid, God hath not pleaſure in the death of the wicked; This is not an abſolute negative, denying God wholly to have delight in death, or in the death of ſinful wicked man, or of any ſinfull man; for God took delight in the deſtruction of Pharoah and his Hoaſt in the red Sea, which Moſes ſhews, ſaying, Exod: 15.1. He hath triumphed gloriouſly; the Horſe and his Rider hath he thrown into the Sea. God ſent Saul to ſmite Amaleck, utterly to deſtroy him and all his, when Agag was ſpared with the beſt of the ſheep and oxen? was he not wrath with him? 1 Sam. 15.3.11.23. When Jehu cut off Ahabs houſe what ſaid the Lord? Becauſe thou haſt done well in executing that which is right in my eyes, and haſt done unto the houſe of Ahab according to all that was in mine heart; thy children of the fourth Generation ſhall ſit on the Throne of Iſrael, 2 Kings 10.30. The deſtruction of Ahabs houſe was pleaſing to God, he commended he rewarded it. And that God takes no pleaſure in the deſtruction of a ſinfull wicked man, is contrary to theſe Texts, Deut. 28.63. Prov. 1.26, 27. Iſa. 1.24. Jer: 14.12. The words they are not to be taken as an abſolute negative, but comparatively, thus, I have pleaſure in the turning of the wicked from his wayes, rather then in his death, or its more pleaſing to me, that a wicked man ſhould turn and live, then that he ſhould continue and dye. Such an expreſſion is that in 1 Cor. 1.17. Chriſt ſent me not to baptize, but to preach the Goſpell; Not abſolutely not to baptize, but rather to preach, then to baptize; he had more pleaſure in my preaching, then in my baptizing: and ſo here, Let me not live, if I have ſo much pleaſure in the death of a ſinner, as in his turning from his ſin.
By Death here ſome underſtand eternall Death, and it cannot be otherwiſe, ſaith Quiſtorpius; for he ſpeaks of that death, which may be avoided by repentance and turning to God; but temporal death cannot be avoided, either by the penitent or impenitent. But to him that well conſiders this place, it will appear that here its ſpoken of a temporal and violent death; for verſ. 3. He ſpeaks of the ſword coming upon a Land. They were at this time either ſtraitly beſiedged, or newly taken by Nebuchadnezzars forces, and complain'd that their ſins were upon them, provoking God to deſtroy them, that they pin'd away, and there was no hope for them of life, though they ſhould repent them of their iniquities; this God anſwers unto, and tells them if they turn from their evill wayes, there is hope they ſhall live, for repentance prevents and removes judgements that are deſtructive: The Ninivites by their repentance prevented the deſtruction of themſelves, and their City; at Davids repentance the plague was ſtayed; Ahabs humbling himſelf prevented Gods bringing the evill in his dayes. So that its true of natural death, that cannot be avoided by penitency or impenitency, but a violent death may, a death by ſword, by famine, by plague, by wild beaſts may. 2 Chro: 7.14. If my people which are called by my name ſhall humble themſelves & pray, and ſeek my face, and turn from their wicked wayes, then will I hear from Heaven, and will forgive their ſin, and w…ll heal their Land. Had he ſpoken of eternall death, it had been no anſwer to the Jews objection: Lavater tells us, that by Death is meant Malum, and by Life Bonum; Men by their ſins bring ſad calamities and judgements upon themſelves, they cauſe God to puniſh them with variety of evills which he hath no pleaſure in, nor they cauſe to complain of, Lament. 3.33, 39. He had rather they ſhould turn from their ſins and live comfortably.
But that the wicked turn from his way and live.
The word for wicked, is Raſhang, which the Septuagint renders foreign, the irreligious, lewd, ungodly man, here wicked, wicked in opinions, wicked in practice, troubleſome to God and man, running the wrong way. The word for way ſigni ies a path which leads from place to place, and men walk in it: Metaphorically its applyed to the cuſtomes, manners, actions, religions and lives of men, Jer. 16.2. Pro: 1.19. Prov: 21.2. of this before Chap. 16.61. The ſenſe lyeth thus, As I live, I delight not in the death of the wicked, but if the wicked turn from his way and live, or ſhall live; that is, according to what I have preſcribed in my word, I ſhall delight in this; or thus, If he turn from his ſinfull way, that he may live, and live comfortably, I ſhall delight in it.
Turn ye, turn ye from your evill wayes.
Here is an earneſt exhortation of them unto repentance, ſetting out the mercy and goodneſſe of God, who was ready and willing to pardon them, upon their turning from their evil wayes. The doubling of the word notes the earneſt and reall intention of God in it. The ſum and ſubſtance of the words, is to ſhew, that if ſinners repent of their former wickedneſſe he will forgive them, and take pleaſure in them. Turn ye, turn ye from your evill wayes. If ye pine away under my judgements, the fault is yours, you turn not from your idolatries, oppreſſions, perjuries, and profanations of my Sabbaths and Ordinances, theſe are wayes of death; but if ye would hearken to my wayes, and turn unto them, they are wayes of life. Of turning hath been ſpoken, Chap. 14.6. The Septuagint is foreign, Turn you by turning, turn throughly from your evill wayes.
For why will ye dye O houſe of Iſrael?
Ye are the Nation I took and brought out of Egypt by a ſtrong hand, Deut: 4.34. Ye are the people that entred into Covenant with me, & avouched me to be your God. Deut. 26.17. and I you to be my peculiar people, verſ. 18. ye are they upon whom I have beſtowed great priviledges, holy Ordinances, to whom I have ſhewed mercy and truth, Pſ. 76.1, 2. Pſ. 98.3. ye are the people I have taken moſt delight in of all people under Heaven, whom I have moſt honoured, done moſt for, and made the greateſt promiſes unto, Jer. 31.33, 34. Chap: 33.8.14. Why therefore have you left me, and my wayes, and fallen into wayes of death? why do you wound and ſtab your ſelves? if you have no regard to me, yet pity your ſelves; ceaſe from thoſe wayes will be your death: Why will ye dye O houſe of Iſrael? Is it not better to live in my wayes, then to dye in your own?
Firſt, Obſerve:
The guilt and puniſhment of ſin are heavy and conſuming things.
Our tranſgreſſions and our ſins are upon us, and we pine away in them. Guilt alone is a great burden; A ſtone (ſaith Solomon Prov: 27.3.) is heavy, and the ſand weighty; but a fools wrath is heavier then them both; and guilt is heavier then them all. A wounded ſpirit who can bear? Prov. 18.14. What is guilt then with puniſhment, but a conſuming, a devouring thing? When David had ſinned, and Gods hand was upon him, what ſaith he? Pſal. 38.3. There is no ſoundneſſe in my fleſh, becauſe of thine anger; neither is there any reſt in my bones, becauſe of my ſin. Mine iniquities are gone over my head…; as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me, v. 4. I am feeble and ſoar broken, I have roared by reaſon of the diſquietneſſe of my heart, v. 8. Gods hand and his own guilt did eat up his ſpirit, and bring him to the gates of death; this made him to ſay (Pſal. 39.11.) When thou with rebukes doſt correct man for iniquity, thou makeſt his beauty to conſume away like a moth. The word for beauty notes that is deſireable in man; whatever is deſireable, that melts away when God doth viſit man for ſin: A little touch of a mans hand cruſheth the wings, and hazards the life of the moth; a little touch of Gods hand where guilt is, marrs the beauty, ſtrength and deſireables of man.
Secondly, Obſerve:
Sinners under ſad judgements are apt to deſpond, yea to deſpair.
If our tranſgreſſions and our ſins be upon us, and we pine away in them, how ſhould we then live? They had greatly ſinned againſt God, ſtood it out againſt his Prophets threatning judgements; and now the judgments were come upon them, their hearts ſunk within them, and they conclude there is no mercy for them; our ſins are great, Gods judgments heavy upon us, he is reſolved now upon our deſtruction, and what courſe ſoever we ſhall take, all is in vain. What theſe ſaid in Judaea, the like ſaid they in Babylon, Ezek. 37.11. Our bones are dryed, and our hope is loſt, we are cut off for our parts. We are like the bones in a Grave, that have all the marrow dryed out of them; or like a branch of a Tree cut off, and all the ſap dryed out of it; there is no hope we ſhould ever live, go to Jeruſalem, and grow there again into a Church or State. Not only the wicked, but even a Godly man may be in a deſponding, yea a deſparing condition, as David himſelf, Pſal. 31.22. I ſaid in my haſt, I am cut off from before thine eyes; Thou wilt never look upon, or favour me more. So Aſaph, Pſal. 77.7. Will the Lord caſt off for ever? will he be favourable no more? is his mercy clean gone for ever? doth his promiſe fail for evermore? hath he forgotten to be gracious? &c. What ſad expoſtulations were theſe of a good man?
Thirdly, Obſerve;
The cavills, objections, and unbelief of ſinners, put God unto his oath.
As I live ſaith the Lord, its not ſo as you fancy, I have told you that if you turn from your evill ways, you ſhall live; that I have no pleaſure in the death of a ſinner, Ezek: 18.21, 22, 23, 27, 28, 31, 32. But ye believe not my word, ye cavill againſt it, and ſay, ye ſhall pine away in your ſins, that what courſe ſoever ye take, ye ſhall not live. Men are backward to believe the word of God, and deal worſe with God, then with man; they will give credit to an honeſt man upon his word, but not to God; yea, how many do believe the Devils ſuggeſtions and deluſions, who is the father of lyes, and will not believe the word of God; and what a harſh thing is it, that men will not attribute ſo much to God as to the Devil? Eve took the Devils bare word in Paradice, ſhe put not him to his oath, when he ſaid, ye ſhall not dye, your eyes ſhall be opened, and ye ſhall be as gods, knowing good and evill: She believed him preſently. But men will not take Gods bare word, they put him to his oath, As I live, ſaith the Lord. Its a great thing for God to ſpeak, but more for him to ſwear; he that made the world with a word, is not believed upon his word, he muſt take his oath upon it; ſo that it ſtands God in more to be believed in the world, then it did to make the world; his ſingle word ſufficed for the one, his oath was required for the other:O beatos nos quorum cauſa Deus jurat; O miſerr imos ſi nec juranti Domino credimus. Tertul: Si non credimus promittenti Deo, & credamus juranti Deo. Jerom; And here appears the great goodneſſe of God, that for the good of man will pleaſe to take an oath: O happy we for whoſe ſake God ſwears; O moſt unhappy we, if we believe not God ſwearing. Having therefore Gods word and oath, let us believe firmly, and ſtagger no more.
Fourthly, Obſerve;
Sinners in what condition ſoever they be, have no cauſe to deſpond or deſpaire of mercy, ſo that they turn from their evill wayes.
Let them be great ſinners, old ſinners, ſinners under judgements, ready to be deſtroyed and cut off by the hands of enemies, as theſe were, yet if they turn from their ſins, there is hope of mercy for them: For,
Firſt, God takes pleaſure rather in their converſion and ſalvation, then in their death and deſtruction; I have no pleaſure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked-turn from his way and live. If a State ſay to a company of its Subjects, who are Traytors, and upon trayterous deſigns, I have no pleaſure in your wayes which lead unto death, but my pleaſure is that you turn from them and live; is not here a large door of hope opened unto them, whatever their Treaſons be?
Secondly, Leaſt men being deeply guilty, ſhould ſuſpect the reallity of God herein (for guilt is full of jealouſies) the Lord ſweares to it, and that by his life, which is the moſt unqueſtionable thing of all (for none doubts whether he be the living God) As I live ſaith the Lord; I have no pleaſure, &c. So that here is foreign and foreign Gods word and oath, two ſufficient bonds to ſecure it.
Thirdly, Here is Gods command and earneſt deſire of their turning, Turn ye, turn ye from your evill wayes. When a mans ſervant is abroad in ſome dangerous deſign, and his Maſter commands him again and again to leave it off, and come home to him; or if the ſervant be in a deep water, and the Maſter ſees he will be drown'd if he come not back again, he calls to him, and commands him to return; is not this an argument that he ſeeks his good, and would have him ſafe.
Fourthly, God ſets the ſtrongeſt arguments before them that can be thought of, life and death. If ye go on, there is no hope of mercy, you muſt dye; if you will turn, here is life, ye ſhall live, here is great mercy. They are not left unto uncertainties, whether they ſhall have life or no; but life is propounded and offered unto them, and where that is promiſed there is a wide door of mercy opened; God is troubled at it, that ſinners forſake mercy and embrace it not: Why will ye dye? Why will ye not turn from your evill wayes unto me the living God? Am I ſo ill a God? Have I dealt ſo unkindly with you, as that you will not come unto me; teſtifie againſt me, tell me wherein. Like that in Micah 6.3. O my people, what have I done unto thee? and wherein have I wearyed thee? teſtifie againſt me. If there be any ſuch thing lye in the way, I am ready to remove it.
Fifthly, Obſerve;
The nature of true repentance lyeth in turning.
Turn ye, turn ye. God at firſt made man upright, with his face towards himſelf, but he ſought out inventions, and turn'd away from God to the creature, which was a madneſſe, to leave an univerſal, everlaſting, and ſatisfying good, for a particular fading, and an unſatisfying good; this madneſs is in the hearts of all men,Eccl: 9.3. till they come to repenting & turning again unto God, and ſetting him in his right poſture to behold the Lord. This turning muſt be from his evil wayes; Turn ye from your evill wayes, and from all of them, Ezek. 14.6. Chap. 18.21.31. Elſe its no turning; if the heart be towards any one ſin, luſt, creature, or evill way, its not turn'd; his back is towards God and not his face; he prefers a creature, a luſt before God.
Sixthly, Obſerve;
Sinners are the Authours of their own deſtruction.
Why will ye dye? They went on in their idolatry, profaneſs, oppreſſions, pollutions of Sabbaths, &c. and ſo brought judgement upon themſelves; 2 Chron: 36.16. They mocked the Meſſengers of God, deſpiſed his word, and miſuſed his Prophets, untill the wrath of the Lord aroſe againſt his people, till there was no remedy; therefore he brought upon them the King of the Chaldaeans, who ſlew their young men with the ſword in the houſe of the Sanctuary, and had no compaſſion on the young man, or maiden, &c. So in Chriſts dayes, he would have kept Jeruſalem from deſtruction, but Jeruſalem her ſelf would not, ſhe brought it upon her ſelfe, Matth. 23.37. The Corinthians abuſe of the Supper brought judgement upon them, 1 Cor. 11.30. And the falſe Teachers brought ſwift deſtruction upon themſelves, 2 Pet. 1.1.